Ramona Falls Loop
Rhododendron, Oregon
Details
Distance
7.17 miles
Elevation Gain
1148 ft
Route Type
Loop
Description
Added by Mike Hathenbruck
Seven mile loop hike through plush green forests and sandy river "beaches", and relatively little elevation gain, ~1000'Great view of Mount Hood near the Sandy River. Ramona Falls trail is a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Amazing photo opportunities. Tons of other hikes in the area.
I'd been wanting to do this hike for quite a while, and when I found work taking me to Portland, I made my return trip through the Mt. Hood wilderness area. I started this Hike from the Ramona Falls trailhead, which is the most popular starting point. The easiest way to find the trailhead, is to type "Zig Zag Ranger Station" into a maps app. The turn off (Lolo Pass Road) is pretty much directly north from the ranger station, where you can stop to buy your wilderness pass...I believe it was $5.
Once on Lolo Pass Road, the trailhead is incredibly easy to find, with signs directing you at every turn. After you're parked, loaded up, and are on the trail, about a few hundred yards up, you'll have to stop and fill out a wilderness pass...there were actually two rangers there when I arrived, to assist anyone who had questions. Now for the fun part...this hike was arguably the most rewarding hike I've ever done. There are a few areas with no tree cover, you almost feel like you're in a desert, and you'll consume most of your water in these areas. As for the rest of the trail, you're in dense tree cover. The temperature cools off dramatically, and you're gifted a little stream that runs along a good portion of the trail. This stream has many small waterfalls...I'm not sure about you, but I love listening to water flow down a mountain. After about 3.5 miles, you'll reach the falls, and any grimacing that may be on your face will instantly disappear.
For Photographers: I almost didn't make it to the falls because I kept stopping to take pictures of all the mini falls, mossy rocks, green forests with spotted light, Hood, and the water soaked rock faces. I did this hike in harsh light, around noon, but that was a bonus in the tree cover. The light wasn't very optimal when I reached Ramona Falls, though. The top part of the falls super bright, while the bottom portion was in shadow...Nothing multiple exposures won't fix. All in all, very scenic!
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Ramona Falls Loop Reviews
A good hike up to the falls. Once there stopped for a PB& J sandwich before heading back. Well worth the hike! Perfect day!
5.0
This is a great hike. Get an early start and have lunch at the falls. Tremendous amounts of blown down trees to look at as well. When crossing the log over the water, don't look down and you'll be fine.
5.0
I really enjoyed this one. There’s a lot of variety along the way and I had a good time sitting by the “beach” and just watching the river go by. If you’re lucky you might spot some fish!
4.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Burnt Lake and Zigzag Mountain
Timberline Loop Trail via the Top Spur Trail
McNeil Point via Top Spur Trailhead
Hike to Sandy Glacier Caves
Little Zig Zag Falls
Mirror Lake Trail
Community
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy